Upper Ninety Strike
by cruiseaholic
Summary: Kristen goes to soccer camp with the boys. With Massie, Alicia, Dylan, and Kuh-laire away for the summer, who knows what will happen? Krissington.
1. Intro

Kristen Gregory frowned, a crease deepening in her forehead as she surveyed the scene around her. The pamphlet had said that the two week soccer camp was going to be co-ed. But standing there, in her hot pink puma shorts, OCD Sirens t-shirt, and adidas cleats, it had become quite ahb-vious to Kristen that she was the only girl there.

Kristen sighed and fished a pink LG Venus (a present from Dylan, because Gawd knew Kristen couldn't afford a decent phone) from her Pink by Victoria's Secret tote bag. She was just going to have to call her mom and tell her that soccer camp was going to be a no-go. But as she started to dial the number, something stopped her. So what if Massie had declared a boy-fast? It was summer, and there wasn't a member of the Pretty Committee within miles of the place. Alicia was in Spain, Dylan was in Hawaii, and Massie and Kuh-laire were partying it up in Orlando. Kristen had gotten stuck in Westchester all by herself.

Soccer camp was going to be the only fun she got to have all summer. No way was she going to give it up just because she was supposed to be on a stupid boy-fast. And besides, this was the chance of a lifetime! Being the only girl meant she'd have the boys all to herself. And soccer boys were the hottest guys around. Want proof? Just look at David Beckham.


	2. Beast Mode

**Disclaimer: **So, all the characters are ah-viously Lisi Harrison's, not mine. I especially don't own the description of Derrick's house; I stole that from _It's Not Easy Being Mean_. ;)

Dedicated to my own soccer boys, who literally invented bender, upper ninety strike, and beast mode and who generally inspire me. :)

* * *

"Dude, is that Kristen?" Derrick Harrington asked as he and his friends made their way across the soccer field. Josh Hotz lifted the brim of his New York Yankees hat and squinted in the direction Derrick had pointed, trying to discern if the toned blonde in the hot pink shorts was indeed Kristen Gregory, a member of the infamous Pretty Committee and star player of the OCD Sirens.

"Think so, man."

"I think she's the only girl here," Cam Fisher noted, causing his buds to look around.

"Dude, you're right!" Chris Plovert exclaimed. "You told us there would be chicks at this camp, Derrick!"

"I thought there would be," Derrick shrugged in response. After his messy break-up with Massie, he was looking forward to meeting new girls, preferably mature ones who actually had a shared interest with him: soccer. He had come to realize that all Massie cared about was shopping and the Pretty Committee, neither of which he was particularly interested in, thank you very much. He didn't know Kristen as well as he knew Massie, but he figured she was of the same mold. She was a member of the Pretty Committee, after all.

The boys reached the bleachers and dumped their bags in the grass. "Let's go shoot on goal while we're waiting for this thing to get started," Cam suggested, pulling a soccer ball out of his Tomahawks gym bag. The boys dribbled towards the goal, showing off and stealing the ball from one another.

Kristen watched them from her seat in the bleachers. They definitely looked like they were having more fun than anyone else at the camp, even if they were forbidden fruit. They were her best friends' ex-boyfriends after all. Well, except for Josh. Kristen suspected Alicia had never actually broken it off with the Ralph-Lauren-wearing soccer player despite her promise to Massie. Kristen sat for a minute, her overactive brain analyzing the situation. She could a) go have fun with the boys, or b) stay over here and ignore them. But even if she avoided them now, there was no way she could avoid them for the duration of the entire soccer camp. Eventually she'd have to talk to them. So why not start now? Her mind made up, Kristen rolled her ball out in front of her and started dribbling after them. The boys were taking turns shooting, while Derrick played goalie. They hadn't noticed her- or if they had, they were ignoring her. Kristen was many things--an athlete, a scholar, even a goody-two-shoes--but ignored was something she was most certainly nawt! She took a deep breath and swung her foot back. As it came into contact the ball was sent sailing in a perfect arc over the boys' heads and into the upper-left corner of the goal.

"Upper ninety strike!" Kemp Hurley cheered, and the boys turned around to see who had made that shot. A few yards away with a grin on her face stood Kristen. Yes, she was a member of the Pretty Committee. But she was also a member of the OCD girls' soccer team. And if there was anything soccer boys liked, it was soccer girls.

Derrick approached her, the other boys in tow. "Nice shot, Kristen," he said, giving her a high-give. "Though I probably could have blocked it if I was paying attention," he added with a cocky grin. The boys snickered, and Kristen rolled her eyes.

"You wish!" she laughed in reply and jogged to the goal to retrieve her ball from the net. Soccer camp was just getting better and better. And it hadn't even started yet.

-xo-

"I'm Coach Phillips," the British male introduced himself. At five foot seven, he wasn't exactly tall for a man, but it was more than made up for by his broad shoulders and muscular frame. Kristen guessed he played goalie.

"As I'm sure you all know, this is a two week long soccer camp. We will be working on basic skills, such as dribbling, shielding, shooting, and recovering." Kristen nodded; these were just the sort of things you usually worked on at soccer camps. Though normally hyper attentive, she found herself increasingly distracted by Derrington, who stood beside her. As the coach continued to talk, she gave Derrick a side-long glance. He had on his trademark shorts and a Tomahawks t-shirt. Shaggy blonde hair fell into his warm brown eyes. Looking at him, Kristen remembered why she and Dylan had fought over this boy for so long back in October. Just as she started to feel her crush returning, she told herself to snap out of it. He just broke up with Massie, Kristen scolded herself. Friends don't date friends' ex-boyfriends. No matter how ah-dorable they are.

"Now, I'd like for all defensive players to join Coach Ian. Offensive players, you're with Coach Lauren," Coach Phillips continued, gesturing to the college-age assistant coaches on either side of him. Ian sported spiky, bleached blonde hair and had electric blue eyes that were ah-viously the product of colored contacts. Lauren's auburn locks were tied back in a high pony and held in place with blue pre-wrap. Kristen would normally be threatened by someone who was the 3 T's- tall, tanned, and toned- but a squashed in pug nose managed to knock the assistant coach off the pretty list.

"What about goalies?" Derrick asked as players moved toward their assigned coaches.

"Derrick Harrington, I presume?" Coach Phillips asked, glancing down at his clipboard. Derrick nodded. "I used to be a goalie myself. How'd you like some one-on-one goalie training?" Kristen had been right, as usual.

"Sure, coach!" Derrick said, giving him an army salute. The boys snickered. Coach Phillips gestured for Derrington to follow as he made his way towards one of the goals. Derrick looked over his shoulder and gave a little butt wiggle, causing his friends to crack up. Kristen rolled her eyes but laughed along with them.

"Okay guys," Coach Lauren began, leading the group of offensive players towards the opposite goal. "Let's start with a simple shooting drill and see how good you really are." She split them up into four lines- one at each goal post and the other two opposite them.

"Star drill," Kristen noted, catching on.

"Huh?" Josh asked.

"It's like this," Kristen explained. "The line at the right goal post starts with the ball, They pass it to the person across from them, who passes it diagonally. Then it gets passed to the person across from them, who shoots."

"Easy enough," Josh nodded. "Which line are we in?"

"Shooting." As the drill progressed, it became clear that several of the boys at this camp weren't exactly star players. Josh, Kemp, Plovert, and Cam, however, were naturals. They made perfect shot after perfect shot, almost always accompanied with a shout of "Bender!" or "Upper Ninety!" It didn't take long for Kristen to catch on to their little code. Benders were Bend It Like Beckham balls- they curved into the goal. Upper Ninetys were any shots made in the upper corners of the goal. Kristen's shots were consistent, but not nearly as impressive as the boys'. _I could learn a thing or two from them_, she thought to herself as she watched Cam score an "Upper Ninety Strike." After twenty minutes of the drill, Coach Lauren called for a water break, and Kristen and the boys made their way over to the bleachers where they met up with Derrington.

"How goes the one-on-one training?" Kemp snickered.

"It's actually pretty cool," Derrick shrugged. "Coach Phillips knows his stuff.

"Coach's pet!" Cam coughed, his one-green-and-one-blue eyes sparkling with mirth. Derrick punched him, and soon the boys were all laughing and punching each other.

Kristen just sipped her Vitamin Water and grinned. These boys were just too fun to watch. Why had she ever agreed with Massie that a boy-fast was a good idea? She felt a pang of guilt as she remembered the pact with her friends, but quickly brushed that aside. She'd find some way to change Massie's mind later. Right now, she was perfectly content to forget about the New Pretty Committee and hang out with the soccer boys.

-xo-

A couple of hours later, after countless shooting and passing drills, Coach Phillips called everyone in. "Good work, everybody. I'll see you back here tomorrow morning at nine. If your parents are here, you can go."

"Bye, Kris," Cam waved as he headed for the parking lot where his brother Harris waited in his car.

"See ya, Gregory!" Kemp and Plovert shouted before piling into Mrs. Hurley's van. Kristen, Derrick, and Josh were the only ones still waiting on their ride. Josh was firing off text messages on his silver razr and Derrington was lazily dribbling his soccer ball as the three made their way across the field. Kristen walked in between them, reveling in how quickly the boys had accepted her as one of them, just because she knew her way around a soccer field. Now if only she could get over the butterflies in her stomach every time Derrick talked to her.

"Kristen?" Derrington suddenly stopped dribbling and turned to look at her, setting off the afore-mentioned butterflies.

"Yeah?" Kristen replied in what she hoped was a casual tone. Josh kept walking and texting obliviously. She figured he was texting Alicia and hoped to Gawd he didn't tell her that Kristen was at soccer camp with them. Alicia was the queen of gossip and would likely trade that juicy tidbit to Massie for gossip points. And Kristen would be ruined.

"Wanna come over tonight? I just got rock band, and Cam says he'll play drums but we still need a singer," Derrick said.

Well, if Kristen was going to be ruined, it might as well be for something good. "Sure!" Kristen smiled. "But I'm not much of a singer."

"I'll be the judge of that," Derrington winked and then jogged over to his mother, who had just pulled into the parking lot in a black Jetta.

"See you there!" Kristen shouted after him before spotting my own mother's car pull into the parking lot. Now, if only she could get her parents to agree to let her go.

-xo-

"Can I go over to a friend's house after dinner?" Kristen asked as she sat at the dining room table eating spaghetti and garlic bread with her parents.

"Which friend?" Mrs. Gregory asked. "I thought they were all out of town."

"Well, all the members of the Pretty Committee are. But um, I'm talking about a friend from soccer. Derrick Harrington."

"A boy?" Her mother was incredulous. "When have I let you go to a boy's house by yourself?"

"Other people will be there too!" Kristen insisted.

"Like who? More boys?" Mrs. Gregory snorted derisively.

"Calm down, Patricia," Kristen's dad spoke up. "Kristen has proved herself to be a very responsible girl. She'll be fine." Kristen smiled at her father, and he winked back at her.

"Fine, you can go," Mrs. Gregory relented. "But I expect you back by nine!"

"Thanks mom!" Kristen pushed her chair back from the table and stood up. "May I be excused?"

Her mother nodded and she ran down the hall to her bedroom to get ready. Thirty minutes later she was dumping her bike in Derrick's front yard and walking up to his front door. Derrick's home was one of those ultra-modern block shaped houses. Kristen didn't particularly like the style but as she lived in an apartment she figured she wasn't one to judge. Still, it was nothing compared to say, the Block Residence. She rang the doorbell and was greeted by who she presumed to be the maid, a thin Filipino woman with long black hair.

"You're here to see Derrick?" the woman guessed, and Kristen nodded. "Right this way." Kristen followed the maid down a long corridor lined with abstract paintings. At the end of the hall were two spiral staircases.

"He's in the basement," the woman said, gesturing down the stairs. Kristen nodded and started descending into the sound-proof basement. She entered the room just as the boys finished playing Juke Box Hero. Derrington waved her over and she sat herself on the couch opposite the plasma-screen HD TV. Derrick and Josh each cradled cordless guitar hero controllers and Cam, who had a drum stick in each hand, was seated behind what Kristen assumed was the drum set.

"Ready to sing?" Derrington grinned, holding out a microphone. Kristen snatched it away from him.

"Just one condition."

"What's that?" Cam asked.

"I get to pick the song." Kristen scrolled down the list of song titles until she came across one she actually knew.

"_I got a lot to say to you, yeah I got a lot to sayyy_," Kristen sang, feeling so foolish and self-conscious in front of the boys that she had to stifle a giggle. But listening to her voice over the microphone gave her courage; she actually wasn't half bad. All those years of church choir weren't for naught, after all! As the song continued, her confidence grew and soon she was really getting into it. "_That never happens! I guess I'm dreaming again. Let's be more than... this!_"

The song ended and their scores flashed on the screen. "Top Performer!" Kristen cheered.

"Total beast mode!" Cam agreed, leaning over to give her a high five.

"Let's see you try to play guitar on expert," Derrick grumbled, but Kristen ignored him. After that they played _Dirty Little Secret_ by the All-American Rejects, _Wonderwall_ by Oasis, and a Fall Out Boy song Kristen had never heard of but attempted to sing anyway. Before she knew it, it was time to go; Derrick volunteered to walk her to the door and they climbed the stairs side-by-side.

"That was fun," Kristen said, completely meaning it. Boys were so much more fun to hang out with than girls. They were just so... laid-back. Not catty or judgmental at all. They were pretty competitive, but then again, so was Massie.

"Yeah," Derrick agreed. "I don't know why we never hung out before."

_Because you were always Massie's boyfriend?  
Because you were never really interested in me?  
Because I'm supposed to be on a boy-fast?_

"Me neither," Kristen replied, knowing it was a far safer answer than any of the of the others running through her head.

"Well, see you tomorrow," Derrick said as they reached the door. He held his arms out for a hug goodbye and Kristen stepped into them, surprised both at the warmth of his body and at the shivers the hug sent down her spine.

"Bye!" Kristen turned and waved over her shoulder as she walked over to where her bike lay in the grass. She picked it up, hopped on, and pedalled furiously all the way home.

Of all the guys she could have fallen for, it had to go and be Massie Block's ex.

* * *

Sorry if any of the soccer lingo confuses you. I'm so familiar with it myself that I sometimes forget it's not as self-explanatory as I think it is. ;) So if you have any questions, ask away. And comments in general are always appreciated. :)


	3. Done, Done, & Done

Thanks for the reviews, girlies. :) I really appreciate them. Keep 'em coming!

Nicole- If Derrick had, say, saved a really difficult goal, his friends would be like, "You're such a beast!" Beast mode is just a period of time when you're being, for lack of a better word, beastly. ;)

Sorry in advance for the shortness of this chapter. :P

* * *

The next morning Kristen was in her room, getting ready for another day of soccer camp. She stopped for a second to boot up her three-years-old-and-slow-as-mess computer so she could check her email. _Just a bunch of spam_, she thought, highlighting the messages and dragging them into the trash can. Just then, an IM flashed on her monitor.

**HOLAGUURL: **hola k!

Kristen smirked at the screen. Alicia always started speaking in Spanish when she visited her cousins in Spain. Glancing around to see where she had left her cleats, Kristen quickly typed a reply.

**SexySportsBabe:** hey leesh! ? time is it in spain  
**HOLAGUURL:** 2:04 PM  
**SexySportsBabe: **cool. only 8 in the morning here  
**HOLAGUURL: **? r u doing up so early? ;)

Kristen froze. Should she lie or tell the truth? There was always the possibility that Alicia had already heard the truth from Josh. What if Kristen lied and Alicia called her on it?

**SexySportsBabe: **gettin ready 2 play sum soccer. u no me :)

There. It was half the truth anyway.

**HOLAGUURL: **rly? who with?

Crap.

**SexySportsBabe: **u no. soccer players.  
**HOLAGUURL: **u mean like cam kemp plovert josh & derrington?

Double Crap.

**SexySportsBabe: **how'd u no?  
**HOLAGUURL:** josh told me. i no all about how u were at derrington's house last nite 2.  
**SexySportsBabe: **u have to keep this between u & me  
**HOLAGUURL: **given! but ? if i don't?  
**SexySportsBabe: **i tell massie ur still talking 2 josh  
**HOLAGUURL: **point. ur secrets safe w/ me :)  
**SexySportsBabe: **done, done,  
**HOLAGUURL: **& done.

Thank Gawd. Kristen heaved a sigh of relief and logged off the computer to finish getting ready to go. She was safe from Massie's wrath… for now.


	4. She's Not My Beysh, Dude

Derrick, Kemp, Chris, Cam, and Josh were all standing in a circle in the middle of the field, juggling a soccer ball. The goal was to keep the ball from hitting the ground, and just like in a regular soccer match, you weren't allowed to use your hands.

Cam currently was in possession of the ball. He kicked it up once, twice, three times, always catching it with his opposite foot and sending it back up in the air. A fourth kick sent the ball flying towards Plovert, who expertly cradled it on the back of his neck before flipping it back into the air and heading it at Josh, who volleyed it across the circle to Kemp. And so on.

Derrick couldn't help but grin at all the stares he knew they were accumulating. It was the one thing he ever had in common with Massie: he loved being the center of attention. And he loved showing off. This game, a little game invented by him and his friends (who referred to themselves as the Fantastic Five because even as lowly seventh graders they had still been the best players on the team) was practically designed for showing off.

At that moment, Kristen arrived at the field. She slammed the car door shut and, after a quick wave to her dad, headed for the bleachers to drop her stuff off. It was 8:59, only a minute before camp was due to start. Derrick wondered to himself why Kristen, the girl who made a point of being early for everything, was only just now getting here.

A frantic IM conversation with Alicia, perhaps?

A minute later it was nine o' clock and Coach Phillips was blowing his whistle, signaling everyone to come over. "Welcome back, kiddos. I hope you're keeping hydrated because it's supposed to get up to 98 degrees this afternoon, and we don't need any heat strokes." Derrick looked around for someone to exchange an exasperated glance with at the British coach's use of the word "kiddos." All the boys were paying attention, so he caught Kristen's eye and smirked. She let out her trademark phlegmy cackle, and all heads swiveled in her direction. Kristen clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Sorry," she giggled, and Coach Phillips just rolled his eyes and continued talking. When no one was looking, Kristen punched Derrington in the arm, and he grasped it in mock pain.

"What'd you do that for?" he whispered.

"For getting me in trouble!" Kristen hissed. "Now shut up or I'll hit you again!"

"Who says I don't want you to? I love getting hit on by cute blondes," Derrick replied, holding back a laugh. Kristen rolled her eyes and turned to face Coach Phillips, a smile tugging on her lips. After a beat, Derrington did the same. He wondered absentmindedly whether he had missed anything important during his mini-conversation with Kristen.

"So without further ado, let's start today off with some Chronological Passing." There was a collective groan at this; nobody liked the drill, which consisted of assigning everyone in a group numbers and passing the ball in chronological order, all while constantly moving around. "Split yourselves up into groups of five," Coach directed.

The members of the Fantastic Five got in a group together, leaving Kristen find herself a group. "Sorry," Derrick mouthed at her, but you know what they say: Bros before Hoes. The boys figured out an order and started passing a soccer ball amongst themselves. Cam, Kemp, Chris, Josh, Derrick. Cam, Kemp, Chris, Josh, Derrick. The drill was incredibly simple, really. So simple that they could talk without losing concentration.

"What's the plan for this weekend?" Plovert addressed the group as he expertly one-touched the ball to Josh.

"What about a movie?" Cam suggested.

"Because a group of guys going to a movie together isn't gay at all," Kemp dead-panned.

"Kristen could come," Derrington suggested, passing the ball to Cam, who kicked it to Kemp.

"Sorry dude, didn't realize she was your beysh now," Kemp snickered, trapping the ball at his feet.

"Yeah, man, what happened to Massie?" Josh asked.

"We broke up, remember?" Derrick replied in exasperation. "And Kristen's not my beysh."

"Constant motion!" Coach Phillips yelled as he walked past their group. They all rolled their eyes and started moving around again.

"Sure she isn't," Kemp sneered, giving the ball up to Plovert.

"Whatever, man," Derrick shrugged.

"Which brings us back to my original question: what are we doing this weekend?"

* * *

Funny how things always come full circle.

This had a Gossip Girl feel to me. The book, not the TV show. I'm not sure why. Anyway. In case you were wondering, beysh is slang for female dog. But it can also be used to refer to someone's girl. So since Alicia is Josh's girl, she's his beysh. And my brother and his friends call themselves the Freshman Five so I kind of adapted that to my own purposes. ;)

R&R please&thankyou. :)


	5. Truth or Dare

Dedicated to Maddie and Sophie (welcome to maddieland & maplexsyrup), because they are the only two people who will read this and get the inside jokes hidden in it. :) And because I couldn't have written this chapter without Sophie giving me ideas along the way.

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own the Clique. So sue me. ;)

* * *

After Chronological Passing, or Chrono, as Kristen and her teammates on the OCD Sirens called it, Coach Phillips let them take a water break. As she searched her bag for her Vitamin Water, she heard footsteps behind her.

"Hey, Kris."

Kristen turned around to find herself face-to-face with Derrington.

"_Who says I don't want you to? I love getting hit on by cute blondes."_

She blushed at the memory of their earlier conversation. Derrick Harrington had called _her_ cute. _No. Snap out of it Kristen. You do __NAWT need to be thinking that way._

"Hey. Don't think I'm not mad at you for abandoning me earlier," Kristen said, hoping he hadn't seen her blush. "I had to get in a group with a bunch of total LBRs, who, for the record, couldn't even seem to remember their own numbers."

"Yeah, well. It's not like you missed anything, except for Kemp calling you my beysh." Derrick replied.

"Your beysh?" Kristen giggled. "And is that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?"

"Depends on what context you use it in," Derrington shrugged. "But since it was attached to _my_ name, I'd have to say it was a compliment," he added, flashing her a toothy grin.

"Whatevs," Kristen smirked. Derrick could be so full of himself sometimes.

"Anyway, I've already figured out how I'm going to make it up to you."

"And how do you plan to do that, Oh Great One?" she asked, her voice dripping sarcasm.

"By inviting you to come to the pool with me and the boys this weekend," he answered easily.

"Fair enough. I forgive you," Kristen smiled, tucking a hair that had come loose from her pony tail behind her ear.

"So you'll be there then?" Derrick asked, his chocolate brown eyes lighting up.

"Sure. Why not?" she replied, taking a swig of her drink. It wasn't like anything could go wrong. Alicia had already promised not to breathe a word for fear of having her own indiscretions revealed. And Massie was still miles away.

"Great," Derrick grinned, and then jogged back over to his friends. Kristen could hear them joking around, probably at the expense of Derrington and herself. Sure enough, she could distinctly catch the words, "Kristen," "Derrick," and "beysh." She laughed softly to herself. Boys. Can't live with 'em; can't live without 'em!

-xo-

That night Kristen was curled up on her couch re-reading _Romeo and Juliet _for the millionth time. Her friends couldn't understand how she could bear to read the Shakespearian classic, but it was one of Kristen's all-time favorite books. Her heart ached for the couple that could never be, all because of a fight between their families. _Hmm_, she mused. _Kind of like how Derrington and I can't be together because of Massie and her stupid boy-fast. _

Just then, her phone vibrated on the table beside her. Kristen slid a bookmark into the dog-eared novel and placed it beside her on the couch before picking up her LG Venus. Its screen informed her that she had one new message.

**Massie: **hows life in westchester?

Kristen gulped. This couldn't be a coincidence. Massie texting her the same day Derrick asked her to go to the pool with him? Her nimble fingers flew across the keypad as she typed her response.

**Kristen: **pretty good. ? about orlando

**Massie: **boor-ing. thinkin bout cming home early

Kristen heaved a sigh of relief. Massie was just bored. Alicia hadn't spilled the beans after all.

**Kristen: **at least u have a choice. im stuck here all summer :(

**Massie: **poor u.

Just as she was typing up another response, she received another text message.

**Massie: **gtg. takin kuh-laire shopping :)

Kristen shrugged and returned to her book, forgetting all about the short conversation and finding herself immersed once again in the tale of romance and angst.

-xo-

"Okay," Cam said, screwing his face up in thought. "Would you rather kiss Kemp… or get raped by a polar bear?"

"What kind of question is that?" Kristen laughed. "Kiss Kemp, of course."

It was Saturday morning and they were at the pool. Kristen was wearing a Juicy Couture bikini with boy short bottoms- the perfect blend of flirty and sporty. The boys had each donned some variation of Hawaiian-print surfer jams. At that moment, none of them were in the water, but rather, sitting at the pool's edges. They were playing a game of Truth or Dare with a slight variation of the rules: refusal to answer the question truthfully or complete the dare resulted in being immediately thrown into the pool.

"As you wish," Kemp smirked, leaning in towards Kristen.

"That was a _Truth_, NAWT a _Dare_!" Kristen protested, swatting him away.

"Okay then, I _dare_ you to make out with me," Kemp shot back.

"Dude, it's not even your turn," Josh cut in. "And even if it was, you can't just dare her to kiss _you_. It has to be someone else."

"And who made that rule up?" Plovert piped up. "Ah-leeeeeee-sha?" He stuck out his chest and strutted along the edge of the pool in a perfect imitation of the Spanish beauty's slow-motion saunter. All the boys erupted into laughter, causing Josh's tanned cheeks to flush crimson. He stood up and unceremoniously shoved Chris into the pool, causing the boys to laugh even harder. Kristen cackled along with them before falling back on her pool chair, gasping for air.

"Okay, okay," she said as she regained her breath and a scowling Plovert climbed back out of the pool. "Josh. Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," he answered promptly.

Kristen racked her brain for ideas. "I dare you to go do the worm. In that puddle," she said finally, pointing to an area where the pool water had splashed onto the concrete.

"Ooo-kay," Josh said. He lay down on the pavement and started flopping around, collecting odd stares from an elderly couple passing by. The group laughed and then it was Josh's turn to pick someone.

"Yo, Derrick! Truth or Dare?"

"Dare, of course," the shaggy-haired blonde replied smugly. Kristen couldn't help but notice how he resembled a puppy dog even more so than usual with his wet bangs plastered to his forehead.

"I dare you to… Hmm. What should I dare you to do?" Josh said, pausing to think.

"Make him kiss his beysh!" Kemp suggested, catching Kristen's eye and winking at her.

Kristen rolled her eyes but could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks.

It wasn't long before the boys had started up a chant. "Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!"

Derrington shrugged and leaned in towards her. "We don't have to if you don't want to," he whispered when his lips were only mere inches away from hers.

Kristen didn't answer. Instead she lifted her face to his and they were kissing. His lips were surprisingly soft and gentle, the polar opposite of what Kristen had expected from the cocky, over confident star goalie. But it ended shortly after it begun, and Kristen was once again sitting alone on her beach chair while the boys continued their game of Truth or Dare.

_It was just a Dare_, Kristen told herself, looking down at her feet. _It didn't really mean anything._

She repeated this to herself over and over again, even after the game had ended. She was still repeating it when everyone decided to get back in the water and start a game of Marco Polo. And she kept repeating it until it was time to go and she was walking towards her bike. She repeated it right up until the moment when someone grabbed her hand, and she turned around to find herself looking up into the chocolate brown eyes of none other than Derrick Harrington.


	6. Dear Diary

Dear Diary,

Gawd. This is awkward. I've never really been much of the diary-writing type. I'm more into crossword puzzles, word jumbles- that sort of stuff. But I just don't have anybody else I can confide in. I can't tell anyone in the Pretty Committee, because that would mean admitting I'd broken the boy-fast. Not to mention Massie would throw a fit when she found out who I was breaking it _with_. I could always tell Leesh, since she's already promised not to breathe a word about me hanging out with the soccer boys, but as far as blackmail goes, Alicia talking to Josh isn't exactly equivalent to me kissing Derrington. I can already see the Gossip Points racking up. There's always Claire, I guess. She was pretty cool about keeping the fact that I was poor a secret. But there's no way of knowing for sure that Massie wouldn't be reading over Claire's shoulder or listening in on the phone, since the two of them are in Orlando together and all. Which leaves my parents. Gawd knows I can't talk to them about anything that's actually important. Which is where this diary comes in.

After that mortifying game of Truth or Dare all I wanted to do was go home and try to forget all about the kiss. Derrick, however, had other plans. He literally grabbed my hand and pulled me aside after everyone else had gone home.

"Why'd you do it?" he had asked upon letting go of my hand.

"Do what?" I replied innocently, feigning confusion. Like we didn't both know exactly what he was talking about.

"Kiss me. Even after I said you didn't have to. You could have just let Kemp and the others throw me in the pool. I'm a big boy; I could've handled it."

"But I couldn't have handled it!" I blurted stupidly.

Now it was Derrick's turn to look confused. "What- me being pushed into the pool?"

"No," I said, softly shaking my head.

"Then what? What couldn't you have handled?"

Well, if I was going to say it, I was going to say it with a shred of dignity. I drew myself up to my full height and looked Derrington straight in the eye. Massie would be proud of me, if it weren't for the fact that we're talking about her ex-boyfriend here. And the fact that I was supposed to be boy-fasting. But whatevs. "Having to go every day knowing that I had given up a perfect opportunity, all because I was too chicken to do anything. No, Derrick, I don't think I could have handled that."

Derrington fell silent. He stood there for a full minute, not saying or doing anything. Needless to say, I was majorly freaking out. I had basically just admitted that I liked the guy, and all he could do was stand there and stare at me. Great. Now he probably thought I was a freak.

And then, before I even knew what was happening, he was kissing me. And it wasn't just a quick peck like it had been during Truth or Dare. This, Diary, was the real deal.

"Why?" I asked, when we finally pulled apart.

"Because," Derrick said, the faintest glimmer of his usual cocky grin on his face. "I couldn't have handled going every day knowing I'd passed up a perfect opportunity."

And _that_, Dear Diary, it why you're the only one I can confide in. If Massie Block were to ever find out about _any_ of this, I would be so dead.

* * *

Wow. That chapter was awful.

I hope the whole Kristen/Derrick scene didn't come across as corny to you guys. I really hate writing love scenes because they always turn out so corny and clichéd!

R&R please&thankyou! :)


	7. World Cup

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Clique, I don't own the brand Tommy Hilfiger, and I most certainly don't own the team Manchester United. Do I look like a millionaire to you? :P

* * *

It was Monday morning, the first day of the last week of soccer camp. Kristen couldn't decide if she was dreading or looking forward to it all being over.

She had put a lot of thought into how she dressed that morning. She was wearing her favorite and most flattering pair of soccer shorts and had even opted for a Tommy Hilfiger menswear tank instead of her usual baggy t-shirt. Her hair was twisted into a bun on top of her head and the only makeup she wore was tinted moisturizer, which gave her already flawless skin a healthy glow, and just a touch of mascara. She didn't want to look like she was trying too hard, after all.

A smile tugged the corners of Kristen's mouth as she remembered Massie, Alicia, and Dylan's short-lived soccer career. They had shown up for practice in mini skirts and they had DIY'd their regulation yellow OCD Sirens t-shirts. Coach had been so angry that she'd made them strip down to their underwear and spend the rest of the practice with only towels to cover themselves up. The boys, who had been practicing on the opposite side of the field, had gotten quite a kick out of seeing three of the most gorgeous girls in school running scantily-clad around the field- or speedwalking, in Alicia's case. The half-Spanish member of the Pretty Committee never ran. At least Kristen's impress-the-boys outfit was practical.

"Hey," Derrick said as he dropped his stuff near where Kristen sat tying the laces of her cleats.

"Hey," she echoed as she looked up at him. It was clear from the look on his face that they were both thinking about the events of that weekend.

"D-man!" Josh called, causing them both to turn around. "What are you sitting around for? We've already started shooting on goal and we need our keeper!"

"Talk to you later," Derrington mumbled to Kristen before leaving her sitting in the bleachers by herself. She couldn't help but wonder what Derrick would have said had Josh not interrupted.

-xo-

"Okay," Coach Phillips began, and waited for everyone to settle down. "Last week you all worked on your basic skills. This week I want to see you put them to good use! So let's start off with a friendly game of World Cup." Everyone cheered before quickly scrambling around trying to find a partner. Kristen found herself paired up with Cam.

"Which country do you want to be?" Kristen asked him as the people around them started yelling out the countries they claimed.

"Um. How 'bout Mexico?"

"Done." The game was simple enough: three balls were put into play, and each pair of partners would work together to try and score. The only rule was that they had to shout the name of their country before the ball went in the net. After that happened, they would go sit out. The last team left on the field would be out of the game. Then another round would start. The game would continue until only one team remained.

The three soccer balls were launched into the field and boys scrambled around trying to get them. The first goal was predictably scored by Derrick, who was teamed up with Kemp. "Manchester United!" he shouted as he kicked the ball into the net. In typical Derrington fashion, he had chosen a club team instead of a country. Despite protests from the other players that it shouldn't have counted because they hadn't picked an actual country, Coach Phillips counted it as a goal and Derrick and Kemp walked off the field.

The next team to score called themselves Brazil and was composed of Josh and Plovert. Kristen hung out in front of the goal, knowing better than to take on any of the groups of boys fighting over the ball. Normally she was highly aggressive, but that was when she was playing with girls. In a game where all her opponents were male, her small size really wasn't to her advantage. Just then Cam emerged from one of the clusters of boys with a ball at his feet. He passed it to Kristen, who expertly put it into the net with a shout of "Mexico!"

The game continued until only the Fantastic Five and the lone member of the Pretty Committee were left. Josh and Plovert got out, and then it was Derrick and Kemp VS Kristen and Cam. Since there were only two pairs left, only one ball was in play, and Derrington had possession. As Kristen attempted to steal it from him, he started talking in a low voice that only she could hear.

"Go out with me, Kris?" he asked softly as he shielded the ball with his body.

"Okay," Kristen said, and swiftly stole the ball out from under him. Seconds later she had scored, and Cam ran over and gave her a victory hug. Kristen's eyes however, remained on Derrick, who, despite having just lost to a girl, had a grin on his face with enough wattage to power an entire city.

* * *

R&R and all that. :)


	8. Glitter Glue and Jimmy Choos

**Disclaimer:** You guys know the drill.

* * *

On Wednesday, Coach Phillips announced that they would be having a tournament the last day of camp. They would split up into teams of five, and everyone was allowed to pick their own teams. So it went without saying that Josh, Cam, Kemp, Plovert, and Kristen had teamed up together. (Derrick couldn't be on a team because he would have to play goalie throughout the entire tournament, with Coach Phillips as the other goalie.)

By some miracle Kristen had been able to convince her mom to let her invite the boys over to make team shirts. Derrington was there, too, simply because they didn't want him to be left out. Besides, as Derrick had told Kristen earlier, he couldn't let his girlfriend be around a bunch of boys without him around to make sure they didn't try anything. Kristen still couldn't get over the fact that they were actually going out. She hadn't quite figured out how she was going to keep the relationship a secret from Massie, though. She knew that Massie would see this as the ultimate form of betrayal and would probably kick her out of the Pretty Committee. And even though she hated that Massie had tried to force her to boy-fast, the members of the Pretty Committee were her best friends, and she'd hate to lose them.

Kristen had turned their dining room into a DIY station: five red cotton t-shirts lay out on the table. The reasoning for the color choice was that Kristen had once read in a sports magazine that red was the color of winners. In addition, there were buckets filled with all sorts of craft supplies. Paint and paint brushes, fabric markers, and glitter glue were just some of the options available.

"I don't know guys," Plovert said seriously. "I think we should put glitter on the shirts."

He had to duck as the other four boys pelted him with paint brushes.

"Okay," Kristen laughed, "the glitter glue's a NO. I get it."

"Any ideas what the design should be?" Cam asked.

"I don't know," Kemp shrugged. "Ask Kristen. She's the girl here."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Kristen asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Just that you're good at this kind of stuff. Guys aren't."

"Ever heard of Marc Jacobs? Yves Saint-Laurent? Both male, and both highly successful fashion designers," Kristen retorted.

"Let me rephrase that. _Straight_ guys aren't good at that kind of stuff," Kemp replied, getting high fives from the boys and an eye roll from Kristen.

"Whatevs. Luckily for you guys, I _did_ have a design in mind." Kristen picked a sheet of paper off the table and showed it to the group. It resembled the Fantastic Four symbol, but in the place of a four was a five. "And then we can put our names on the backs of our shirts," she explained.

"Sounds good to me," Josh shrugged.

And with that, they all set to work. Cam frowned in concentration as he attempted to draw a perfect circle on the shirt. Kemp's five ended up lopsided and Josh's circle resembled an oval. Only Kristen was able to get the design exactly right- she is a perfectionist, after all.

As they sat around waiting for the shirts to dry, there was a knock on the door.

"I got it!" Kristen called. She padded barefoot down the hall to open the door. Standing in the doorway was a thin girl of medium height with shiny brunette hair that fell just past her shoulders and side swept bangs. She was wearing a BCBG yellow sundress that brought out the golden tint of her eyes and white Jimmy Choos. She had gotten a bronze tan since the last time Kristen had seen her, but other than that she looked exactly the same as the girl Kristen remembered. The girl who had been haunting Kristen's conscience for the past two weeks. The girl who was supposed to be in Florida. The girl known by all as Massie Block.


	9. Friends Don't Do That To Friends

I can't even tell you guys how much I appreciate all the feedback. :)

And sorry in advance about this chapter being so short. I promise to try and make the next one nice and long. :)

So without further ado, here's the next chapter.

* * *

"Well? Aren't you going to say anything?" the brunette demanded.

"Um, hi Massie. I thought you were in Florida," Kristen managed.

"Come awn, K. I told you I was thinking about coming home early," Massie replied, swinging her white Coach bag as she pushed past her into the apartment. Kristen immediately remembered the short text message conversation they had had the week before. "So this is where you live, huh?" Massie said as her gaze fell on the plain white walls and ugly gray carpeting. "I can understand why you never invite anyone over."

The comment stung, but Kristen knew that all Massie had to do was venture into the dining room and she would be getting much worse than a verbal slap.

"So… what are you doing here?" Kristen asked, trying to sound upbeat.

"Well, I flew in this morning on Daddy's private jet and I was sitting at home by myself when I thought of you. I was thinking we could go get mani/pedis together," Massie explained. "My treat, of course."

Just then Derrick emerged from the other room. "Hey Kristen, Plovert knocked over the paint bottle and-" he said, breaking off when he caught sight of Massie.

"What is HE doing here?" Massie screeched.

"Funny, I could say the same about you," Derrington replied coolly.

"I'm her BEST FRIEND," Massie spat.

"I'm her BOYFRIEND," he shot back.

Massie's eyes widened in disbelief as she turned to face Kristen. "Are you a trained assassin?"

Kristen shook her head, her gaze fixed on the carpet so Massie couldn't see her crying.

"Then why'd you stab me in the back?" she demanded.

"I-"

"Save it for someone who cares. I'm out of here." And with that Massie turned on her heel and stormed out of the apartment.

"What was that about?" Derrick asked a few moments later.

"I might have forgotten to tell Massie that we were going out. Or even hanging out at all," Kristen admitted, wiping tears from her eyes.

"So?"

"_So_, you're her ex-boyfriend. Friends just don't to that to friends," Kristen explained. "And besides… Massie might have initiated a boy-fast after Skye's party."

"A what?" Derrick looked incredulous.

"A boy-fast. As in, no talking to or hanging out with boys. At all."

"That didn't stop you," Derrick surmised.

"No," Kristen smiled. "It didn't."

"So I guess the question is: what are you going to do now?"

"Awn-estly? I have no idea."

* * *

And the crap hits the fan. But you guys knew that was going to happen eventually. Kristen's life was just going far too well. ;)


	10. Chicks Before Dicks

**Disclaimer: **I didn't own the Clique the last nine chapters, and I most certainly don't own it now.

* * *

**SexySportsBabe: **massie?  
**SexySportsBabe: **im rly sry  
**SexySportsBabe: **u cant ignore me 4ever

Kristen sighed and pushed away from her computer. After the boys had gone home, Kristen had called Massie five times, sent her two emails, and was now IMing her in hopes of a response. So far, Massie hadn't picked up the phone, replied to the emails, or IMed her back.

Not that Kristen had ever really thought Massie would forgive her that quickly. She knew her too well. Massie always had to come out on top, and Kristen wasn't about to be forgiven until after Massie had gotten her revenge. She shuddered as she remembered what happened to Alicia when she tried to make her own clique. Massie really didn't take well to betrayal.

Her computer dinged, and Kristen immediately perked up, thinking it was Massie. No such luck. It was Derrington.

**Shortz4Life: **how goes it w/ massie?  
**SexySportsBabe: **it goes  
**Shortz4Life: **she still ignoring u huh?  
**SexySportsBabe: **ya :(  
**Shortz4Life: **maybe its time 2 throw in the towel  
**SexySportsBabe: **no way. massies 1 of my bffs  
**Shortz4Life: **even tho she tries 2 control everything u do?

Kristen frowned. Derrick was right about that. Massie could be a little bossy sometimes. There was a difference between being a friend and being a dictator. Forcing them to boy-fast was a step over the line. Of course, Kristen wasn't perfectly innocent, either. She never should have agreed to go out with Derrick without Massie's permission. For all Kristen knew, Massie could still have feelings for him.

**SexySportsBabe: **i gtg. ttyl

Kristen signed off the computer and picked her LG Venus up off the desk. She would try calling Massie one last time. After four rings, Massie answered.

"Kristen, are you a desperate LBR?"

"No," Kristen replied, knowing as she did that if Massie really wanted to, she could downgrade her to LBR status in five seconds flat.

"Then why do you keep trying to talk to me?"

"Because I need you to hear me out! I'm really sorry about going out with Derrington right after you broke up with him," Kristen began.

Massie cut her off. "_Sorry_ doesn't change the fact that you completely went behind my back. If you had just FOLLOWED THE BOY-FAST, we wouldn't be fighting right now."

"I didn't call you to apologize for breaking the boy-fast. I called you to apologize for going out with your ex," Kristen replied calmly.

"What?" Massie was incredulous. "And what makes you think you didn't have to apologize for both?"

"Boy-fasting was a stupid idea. I never should have agreed to it in the first place."

"But you _did_ ah-gree to it," Massie replied pointedly.

"Yes, but you're my _friend_, not my _mother_. You can't dictate who I see and what I do."

There was silence on the other end. Kristen prayed Massie hadn't hung up on her. Finally, Massie spoke.

"I do that?"

"Yes, Massie," Kristen replied. "All the time."

More silence. It was clear Massie was deep in thought.

"I'll forgive you for going out with Derrick," Massie replied slowly. "If you'll forgive me for trying to control your life."

"Okay," Kristen heaved a sigh of relief.

"But Kristen?"

"Yeah?"

"You have to break up with Derrington."

-xo-

The next day before camp started, Kristen pulled Derrick aside. She explained to him about her conversation with Massie the night before, and why she had to break up with him.

"I really am sorry Derrick," Kristen finished.

"Me too," he mumbled, shuffling his feet.

There was a pause as they both looked anywhere but at each other.

"So this is it, then?" Derrington finally said. "You're gonna break up with me because Massie told you to?"

"She's-"

"Your best friend. I get it," Derrick finished bitterly.

"Right. And I just can't do this to her. Not anymore, anyway," Kristen explained.

"I still don't get what the big deal was. Yeah, I used to go out with Massie. But we're over now."

Kristen sighed. How could she explain this in a way Derrick would understand?

"You know how you and the guys always say Bros before Hoes?" she said finally.

"Yeah?"

"Well, think of it this way: for girls, it's Chicks before Dicks."

Derrick laughed. "I guess you're right about that."

"So can we still be friends?" Kristen asked hopefully.

"Of course, beysh," Derrington replied, flashing her a winning smile.

Kristen grinned, and the pair of them walked back over to where the others were standing.

"You two good?" Cam asked, looking from one to another.

"Yeah," Derrick replied, glancing at Kristen. "We're good."

"Okay, everyone!" Coach Phillips called out in his British accent. "It's Friday, the last day of camp. I hope you all learned something these past two weeks. Now without further ado, let's start the tournament! The first match will be the Titians VS the Fantastic Five! First team to score wins!"

"That's us!" Josh said, and the five of them walked out onto the field in their matching red t-shirts. Derrington gave them all a thumbs-up before jogging off to the goal to play keeper. Coach Phillips headed off to the opposite goal. Ian and Lauren, the assistant coaches, were going to be the referees.

The Titians consisted of five scrawny boys. Two minutes into the game, Josh dribbled down the field and scored. Next up was a team that had dubbed themselves the Galaxy. This time it was Kemp who scored. Every match they played, the Fantastic Five dominated. They made it all the way up to the finals match. It was them against five tall boys with muscular builds. Five minutes into the game it was clear that this wasn't going to be another easy win. These guys had skills.

Cam passed the ball to Plovert, who had it stolen from a member of the opposing team. The boy shot, and the goal was blocked by Derrick, who punted the ball up to Kemp. Kemp dropped the ball to Josh, who crossed it to Kristen. Just as Kristen was about to take her shot, she got slammed into by one of the boys on the other team.

As Kristen daintily picked herself up off the grass, Coach Lauren blew her whistle. "Foul!" she called out. "The Fantastic Five get a penalty kick."

"Take it Kristen," Josh urged her.

"Yeah, Kris, it's all you," Plovert joined in.

"But you guys are so much better than me!" she protested.

"Come on. What about that goal you made the first day of camp?" Cam asked.

"Take the freaking kick, beysh," Kemp put in.

"Here goes nothing," Kristen muttered under her breath. According to standard penalty kick rules, it was just Kristen and the goalie. She felt slightly intimidated shooting against Coach Phillips, but she willed herself to get over it. As Coach Lauren blew her whistle, Kristen swung at the ball with her foot. It sailed through the air into the upper left corner of the goal. Coach Phillips dived for it and missed it, and Cam, Josh, Kemp, and Plovert erupted in cheers.

"UPPER NINETY STRIKE!" they shouted in unison.

As the boys lifted her on their shoulders and carried her off the field, Kristen grinned. Life didn't get any better than this.

* * *

Well, I hope you all enjoyed the final chapter of Upper Ninety Strike! Yes, you read that right- it's over.

Once you've all R&R'd, head on over to my latest story, The New Girl. It's kind of like a Massie/Claire role reversal, where instead of Claire moving to Westchester, Massie moves to Orlando. I plan for this one to be much longer than ten chapters, too, so no worries. :)


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